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A new bridge river crossing as part of Perth and Kinross Council’s biggest ever infrastructure project - aimed at reducing congestion - will receive an extra £40m from the Scottish Government.

The cash injection was confirmed today by first minister Nicola Sturgeon who also announced that a further £10m will go towards an industrial investment programme to support manufacturing in Dundee, Perth, Angus and the north of Fife.

The investment for the Cross Tay Link Road is part of a £120m project which will link the A9 over the River Tay to the A93 and A94 north of Scone, in the hope of reducing congestion in Perth.

The funding is in addition to the Scottish Government’s £150m commitment to the Tay Cities Region Deal and brings overall Scottish Government investment in the area to £200m over the next ten to 15 years.

Commenting on the funding, the first minister said: “Our further £50m investment in the Tay cities region will support transport infrastructure and manufacturing projects, benefiting people and businesses and ensuring the area continues to grow and thrive. As well opening up land for new housing and employment sites, the Cross Tay Link Road will reduce traffic congestion in and around Perth and improve the air quality in the city centre and Bridgend. I am confident the Scottish Government’s overall investment of £200m in the Tay Cities region will improve people’s quality of life and encourage sustainable economic growth in the Tay area and Scotland as a whole.”

The heads of terms agreement for the Tay Cities Region Deal was signed in November with both the Scottish and UK Governments committing £150m to a deal. Sweco was appointed as design consultants for the project in July 2017.

He said: “This is fantastic news for the Tay cities region. We welcome the introduction of an industrial strategy which will encourage innovation and inward investment and support sustainable skills development across the whole of the Tay cities region. This will in turn boost opportunities for strategic partnerships with businesses, contribute to the local, national and global economy and create prosperous communities.”

The scheme will be largely funded by Perth and Kinross Council, with the remaining costs coming from the UK and Scottish governments. A working group led by Scottish Enterprise will be set up to oversee the development of the industrial investment programme.